Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai made a fervent plea to Muslim leaders on Sunday, urging them not to “legitimize” the Afghan Taliban government and to demonstrate “true leadership” by opposing their stringent restrictions on women’s and girls’ education.
Speaking at a significant summit on girls’ education in Muslim nations convened in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, Yousafzai emphasized the critical need for action. “Do not legitimize them,” she stated, addressing the gathered ministers and education officials from numerous Muslim-majority countries. “As Muslim leaders, now is the time to raise your voices, use your power. You can show true leadership. You can show true Islam,” said the 27-year-old activist.
Since their return to power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed what the United Nations has called “gender apartheid,” banning girls from secondary schools and universities and restricting women from many aspects of public life. Yousafzai explicitly criticized these policies, stating, “Simply put, the Taliban do not see women as human beings. They cloak their crimes in cultural and religious justification.”
The summit, backed by the Muslim World League, saw no participation from the Taliban, despite invitations extended. This absence was highlighted by Pakistan’s Education Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, underscoring the Taliban’s isolation on this issue.
Yousafzai, who survived an assassination attempt by the Pakistani Taliban in 2012 for advocating for girls’ education, has since become a global figure for human rights. Her latest call to action has resonated beyond the conference room, sparking discussions on social media and among international communities about the role of Muslim leadership in addressing human rights abuses in Afghanistan.
The conference also addressed broader global issues in education, particularly noting the plight of girls worldwide, including in Pakistan where millions still lack access to education.
